KINGSPORT — Wellmont Health System on Tuesday announced an outreach program to assist the public to a better understanding of federal health care reform, commonly referred to as Obamacare.

In a press release issued Tuesday, Wellmont said it has created a community relations team to reach out to community organizations and civic groups to help provide information about the rapidly evolving health care landscape.

“This is a momentous period of change for our nation, and we want the residents of the communities we are privileged to serve to fully understand what is transpiring,” said Wellmont President and CEO Denny DeNarvaez. “Do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to provide someone from Wellmont who can speak to companies, civic organizations and other groups. This will enable everyone to make informed choices and observations about the future of health care.”

The federal Affordable Care Act — with its individual provisions scheduled to kick in this October while the employer mandate was ordered delayed by a year by the president — along with the sequester impacting the federal budget, have resulted in steep cuts to Medicare reimbursements and other health care organizations across the country, Wellmont said.

The lack of expansion of TennCare and Virginia Medicaid has also greatly impacted the region’s providers, the Kingsport-based health care group said.

Those elements have required Wellmont to reorganize several aspects of its organization to create a sustainable model of health care, Wellmont said. They also provide opportunities to develop new programs such as Wellmont’s LiveWell community health initiative, the Health System added.

To request a speaker from Wellmont, call Lee Fish, community relations coordinator, at (423) 782-0611, or email lee.fish@wellmont.org.